Justin Hartwig officially the Steelers starting Center

cpawfan · Aug 26, 2008

The writing was on the wall in the spring when the Steelers signed Justin Hartwig to compete for the starting center position with incumbent Sean Mahan. Now the writing is on the depth chart.

Coach Mike Tomlin said yesterday that Hartwig has earned the starting nod over Mahan and will anchor the line when the season begins against the Houston Texans Sept 7 at Heinz Field.

"We watched this battle closely," Tomlin said after a 90-minute workout yesterday. "Both guys have done a nice job. Ultimately, for me, there was a level of comfort with [Hartwig's] size and strength and range. In the short term it may create a little discomfort for us because we have better cohesion with Sean and some of the other guys because of their game experience and working together.

"Justin is new. He has to continue to develop that kind of relationship with the men he plays with. But we're excited with what he brings to the table and look forward to moving ahead."

Mahan was signed before last season and started all 16 games and the playoff game against Jacksonville. Mahan, at 6 feet 3 and 301 pounds, is not considered big by NFL standards and had some trouble handling the wide-bodied nose guards he competed against last season.

Hartwig, who is 6-4 and 312 pounds, gives the Steelers more size and strength at the position

"Look around our division and look at some of the people we have to play against, not only in the division but in the AFC, and there are some big and powerful men that play over center," Tomlin said. "[Hartwig] has the skill set to wage that physical battle for us and we'll move forward."

Mahan was at morning meetings yesterday, but he did not practice. Tomlin said Mahan received a phone call shortly before lunchtime and he had to "attend to a personal emergency."
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http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08239/906959-66.stm

cpawfan · Aug 26, 2008

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/steelers/s_584854.html

Steelers coach Mike Tomlin officially named Justin Hartwig the starting center on Monday. Hartwig, a free agent from Carolina, replaces Sean Mahan, who signed as a free agent from Tampa Bay prior to last season. "Ultimately for me, there was a level of comfort with his size and strength and range," Tomlin said.
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Not really a surprise, but it is good to see that he actually won the job in camp.

cpawfan · Aug 27, 2008

http://postgazette.com/pg/08240/907166-66.stm

Justin Hartwig is the third starter at center in three seasons for the Steelers. For a franchise that had four centers in the previous four decades, that's quite a change.

For the longest time, the Steelers didn't have to worry about their center. Ray Mansfield, Mike Webster, Dermontti Dawson and Jeff Hartings manned the position from 1964 until 2006, with each performing at a high level.

But Hartings retired after the 2006 season, and the position has been a source of concern since. The Steelers brought in free agent Sean Mahan to replace Hartings. After Mahan struggled last season, Hartwig was signed as a free agent to replace him.

Having a new starter at such a crucial position is not ideal, especially with the season opener against Houston a little more than a week away. But Hartwig and his new line mates are trying to become accustomed to playing with one another as quickly as possible.
Tomorrow

"The thing you have to do is make sure you communicate well," said Kendall Simmons, the starting right guard who also played next to Hartings and Mahan. "That's our plan as a unit. We're completely different from anyone else. We have to talk. It's not an individual-type deal. If we don't work together, it's not going to get done."

Left tackle Marvel Smith said transitioning to Hartwig is going to take time, much in the same way it did with Mahan last season.

"I kind of remember from last year it was a process with everyone, getting on the same page and being comfortable," Smith said. "It will probably be the same type of thing this year.

"It's more communication, especially in our offense. There are a lot of calls predicated upon what the center sees. Everything else is relayed off of that. The center has to be on the same page as everyone else."

In the Steelers' scheme, the center is responsible for calling out defensive fronts as well as the type of coverage in some instances. Hartwig said he has more responsibility than he did previously as the center for the Carolina Panthers and Tennessee Titans.

"The center has a big role in this offense," Hartwig said. "I feel good. The big thing with offensive-line play is repetition and seeing the looks and going out and doing it. You can study so much, but to actually go out there and do it, playing with the guys next to you helps. Every day I feel like I'm getting better."

The starters will get another quarter's worth of work in tomorrow's preseason finale against Carolina before the Sept. 7 opener against Houston at Heinz Field. After a rough outing against Minnesota last week, they're hoping to gain some momentum heading into the regular season.

Against the Vikings, the Steelers' first-team offense gained just 76 yards on seven series in the first half.

"It's one or two missing pieces to the puzzle," running back Willie Parker said. "Once we get on the same page, we'll be all right. Right now, it's one man here or one man there before it will be a 10-yard or 15-yard gain."

Simmons said the only way for the Steelers to gain cohesion is by practicing together.

"It's going to take the reps in practice," he said. "We really have to emphasize talking. If you make a mistake, you have to say, 'Hey, this is where I'm going to be.' When you look at the film, you have to say, 'This is what I was thinking.' That's the only way you can do it when you have a short period of time."

Hartwig will get his third start with the first-team offense against Carolina. He was happy that coach Mike Tomlin made his decision a week early. The extra work with the first-team will be important.

And even though no one would venture a guess as to when the line would become a cohesive unit, Hartwig did say he was pleased with the progress the starters have been making.

"I'm really happy and just relieved that [the competition] is over," Hartwig said. "Now I can focus on getting cohesion with these guys and running this offense smoothly. It's coming along every day. Every day we're learning more about each other. I'm learning more about the offense and all the little intricacies that are in it. It's always going to be a work in progress, but I feel good about where we're at and how we're progressing every day."
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cpawfan · Aug 27, 2008

Some reaction from Sean Mahan

Sean Mahan was back at practice yesterday, one day after being informed that Justin Hartwig had beaten him out as the starting center.

Mahan, a six-year veteran out of Notre Dame, expressed disappointment about losing the job he held for one season.

"It's tough," he said. "It's obviously not what I wanted. But you just have to go with it, keep getting prepared just like you do when you play every week."

Coach Mike Tomlin said Mahan will take some repetitions at guard in addition to center. Either Mahan or Darnell Stapleton will be the backup at center and guard on game days.

"He's a guy who has position flexibility as a center and guard," Tomlin said of Mahan. "We'll explore him playing some guard. More than anything, he's a guy we're capable of winning with if we have to call on him. And there's comfort in that."

Mahan started games at center and at guard in his time with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2003-06.

"I need to be able to fill in and play any inside position if need be," Mahan said. "I definitely need some reps because I haven't had any guard reps in more than a year."
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